Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1887-11-17
UTILIZING WAVE POwER.
A Mighty Engine Moved by the FIuctu.
atfons of the Sea.

"A MAEntS engine VI owed by the FlEctus
atfons of the Sea.
from the San Francisco Call
After many accidents and trials the wave
power motor, SO long talked Of has at last
been finished, and proved a success. The
construction of this machine or apparatus.
which was begun in July, 1885, was at the
time considered hair Drained scheme INIT
the projectors stuck to their plan, and seem
now to be in fair way Of success. Great
difficulty was experienced at first in getting
the materials to Withstand the force of rocks
thrown against them by the waves, and the
pipes which conduct the water up the bluff
were broken and carried away no less than
fourteen times When the schooner Parallel
went ashore, and her cargo of dynamite ex-
ploded, the motor was completely wrecked,
A mass of rock, weighing 600 tons, was
thrown from the cliff and fell across the
chasm over which the motor was suspended,
blocking it up to such extent that nearly
three months we're consumed in blasting out
the debris. Soon afterward another mass of
stone, weighing $50 tons, fell and had to be
removed. The motor, designed and built by
E. 7. Steen, is a very simple contrivance,
and still is capable of exerting great
power.
Across a ehasm in the rocks Just north of
Parallel Point bridge OF heavy timbers was
built. Suspended from this is huge fan or
paddle OF oak timbers, with the spreading
portion downward. This is fastened to the
bridge by immense hinges, which allow it,
when IN operation, to swing back and for
ward distance Of thirty-six feet as the
waves strike it. The handle or upper portion
of the fan is connected with a solid plunger
pump twelve inches in diameter and having
stroke of nine to twelve feet This pump,
HI1,N -
running cut into deep water. The fan is SO
rigged that it can be drawn up out of reach
OF the waves when not in use. When a wave
comes in the fan is thrown forward and
forces the air out of the pump barrel in
which the plunger works. On the wave
receding the fan is carried seaward and
the plunger is drawn out, causing a vacu-
um, and causes quick rush of water into
the suction pipe. The force with which
the water Is drawn up is sufficient to raise
it to an elevation of $50 feet above the tide
level.
Should this motor prove as successful as the
projectors seem confident it will, several 9TH
ers will be built in the same neighborhood,
and an immense reservoir built on the hill to
contain the water
This one motor, with its twelve-inch plum.
ger, is capable of raising $4,000 cubic
feet Of water $50 feet high in every TWEEN
ty-four hours. The uses to which the water
will be put valuable. thirty-six-
inch pipe will be conducted to the city, |
and water will be supplied to all branch |
es of industry where machinery is used |
Bathing houses will also be supplied with
salt water, and sewers flushed when it is
The first work performed will DE begun in
about ten days. and an eight-inch pipe is now
being laid for the purpose.
The last mentioned pipe is for Adolph
5utro, and is to be utilized in sluicing
away large amount of drifting sand from the
heights just back of the aquarium. This
work is rendered necessary to prevent the
'and from washing back on the beach and re-
arding the work.
The immense fan of the motor generates
! large amount of energy not used in work
ng the pump, and when everything is in
hape electric dynamos will be erected to
Utilize this energy for heating purposes and
he ike.